


You Gotta Fire Up (You Gotta Let Go)

by Purplesauris



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: Angst, GTA AU, Geoff Ramsey/Gavin Free - Freeform, Gore, Jack Pattillo/Ray Narvaez Jr. - Freeform, M/M, Myan - Freeform, Side Relationships - Freeform, based on a tumblr prompt, geovin - Freeform, heisting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-22
Updated: 2015-04-22
Packaged: 2018-03-25 07:39:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,025
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3802267
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Purplesauris/pseuds/Purplesauris
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Michael has nicknames for everyone. Why is it so weird that he gives one to Ryan? So what if his heart races every time he calls Ryan Rye-bread?</p>
            </blockquote>





	You Gotta Fire Up (You Gotta Let Go)

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first Myan piece I've ever written. Damn you Ryan Haywood for being so shippable. As always, love the fic? Hate it? Found a spelling error? Tell me so at purplesauris.tumblr.com or right below in the comments!

There was something about the way a building blew up that Michael absolutely loved. Maybe it was the way a building crumbled after they blew the foundation, or the way a car would fly into the air a flaming mess. Michael wasn’t sure exactly what drew him to explosives, but he can’t let himself to think about it too much as he throws another sticky at a police car behind his speeding vehicle. Michael whoops as it ignites in a fiery blast of red and black, smoke billowing into the air and obscuring Michael’s view of the other cars following him. Michael tucks himself back into the window of the speeding car, sitting back against the seat and pulling in a breath not laced with smoke and ash. Michael grins over at the man driving the car, grabbing his SMG as the car fills with the sound of bullets pinging off of the back. Michael pops back out the window, firing at the cop cars and watching as blood splatters across shattered windows and cars behind him swerve. Michael ducks and he hears a bullet whiz past his head, body singing with adrenaline as the back of his jeans are grabbed and he’s yanked back inside the car. The shot that Michael was about to take goes wide and Michael swears, quickly reloading.

“What the fuck, Ryan?! Let me do my damn job.” Michael grumbles, the man next to him never saying a word as he swings the car wide, Michael smacking against the door as they bounce up a hill. Michael braces his back on the dashboard and presses his feet into the backrest of the seat regardless of the disapproving swat he gets to his knee. Michael looks through the sights as a helicopter flies overhead, squeezing the trigger and firing a spray of bullets that manages to take out the pilot. Michael watches as the gunner jumps out to try and survive, the helicopter slamming down on him and exploding in a fiery ball of metal parts. Michael turns back around in his seat and sits back, short dry grass whipping past the car as they speed along the mountain. They jolt onto the mountain path and pretty soon they’re rocketing up Mount Chiliad, towards the rendezvous point where a cargobob waits to pick them up. “We’re home free baby!” Michael gloats, leaning his head back as he lets himself relax. “A buncha cash and a warm shower are back at base, just calling my name.” Michael sighs, smiling giddily.

“Mhmm.” a deep voice agrees, muffled and distorted behind the mask he wears. “How many?”

“46.” Michael says proudly, counting off the number of cars he blew up on their way out. “Pretty sure I got 4 in a row at that intersection. You?”

“13. Pedestrians.”

“Cops?” Michael says, offhandedly staring out the window. It’s a bit gruesome to keep track of body counts, but Michael knows Ryan, and he knows it’s just something he does. Part of who he is, psychopath or not.

“32. Personal best.” Ryan mumbles, focusing on the path ahead of them as he briefly hesitates, flooring it and smacking into a hiker. They thud onto the hood and Michael recoils from the window as it’s painted with blood, and then the body is tumbling off to the side and Ryan flicks the windshield wipers on. Michael makes a disgusted noise but doesn’t comment that the wipers really aren’t helping at all.

“Pistol?”

“Knife.” Michael makes a small noise of shock in the back of his throat, looking to Ryan as they pull up to the viewing platform.

“You went batshit with a _knife_? What if a cop snuck up on you?” Michael scrambles out of the car as Ryan easily lifts himself from the bullet riddled vehicle, leaving it as chopper blades beat the air. Michael can practically hear Ryan rolling his eyes as they run to get in the cargobob, Gavin grinning at them and pulling Michael in.

“Hey boi! This is grand, innit?” Gavin says cheerfully even though there’s blood on his chin and his lip is split, and cuts litter his hands.

“Well no one is dead yet, so yeah, this is grand. You look like you punched a blender.”

"Cop bloody ran up to me with a knife!" Gavin gripes, Michael rolling his eyes as his legs dangle out the side of the helicopter as they fly through the air.

“And I was worried a cop was gonna come up on Ryan while he was using a fucking knife to complete the heist!” Michael snorts, Ryan remaining silent while Gavin blanches at him and Ray shakes his head.

“ _Crazy_.” Ray mutters, Ryan lightly shoving him towards the open side of the cargobob. Ray is quick to latch onto Ryan’s arm, mischievous gleam in his eyes. “I go, I’m taking you down with me. R  & R connection!” Ray calls, Michael laughing and leaning back into the cargobob to swat Ray’s leg.

“You say that, but he might actually drag you out with him just for the hell of it. Isn’t that right Rye-bread?” Michael asks teasingly, the chatter in the cargobob cutting off when Ryan leans forward, breath whooshing past his mask. Ryan’s eyes are sharp, piercing Michael down onto the metal of the helicopter floor, stripping him bare. Michael swallows hard and looks towards Ray instead.

Michael frowns when Ray gives him an incredulous look, and he nearly falls from the cargobob when Gavin crows with laughter, rocking in his seat. “Did you just call him Rye-bread?!”

“He did!” Ray says, grinning as Michael scowls and goes back to leaning out the door. “Ryan’s first nickname, how about that? And from Michael!”

“I call you guys by nicknames all the time!” Michael protests, pouting when his words are swallowed up by raucous laughter. Gavin looks like he could light a fire with how red his face is, gasping in tiny little breaths between rounds of laughter. Ray is laughing just as loudly, but not as frequent, prone to bouts with long pauses between as he thinks about the situation, only to start laughing again. Geoff is swaying in the copilot seat, covering his face as tears threaten to leak from the corners of his eyes as his chest heaves and his stomach clenches with the force of his giggles. Jack is biting his lip, trying to stifle his snickers as he works on getting them home in one piece. “You guys are dicks.” Michael grumbles, yanking the headset off so all he can hear is the sound of the chopper blades and wind in his ears. Michael feels eyes on his back, sliding along his spine before settling on the back of his head. Michael shivers under the guise of the wind and pulls his jacket a little bit tighter around him, ignoring the heat that builds in his stomach.

~*~

Michael doesn’t fully live down the nickname that he gives Ryan; Ray and Gavin are still laughing about it when they get back to the apartment, and Michael doesn’t even stay to get his cut of the money. He ignores everyone and goes to his room to think about why the hell he said that in front of everyone when no one has ever given Ryan an affectionate nickname before. He’s the goddamn Mad King, a nickname like Rye-bread shouldn’t really.. fit him the way it does. Fuck. Michael groans as he locks his door and throws his weary body down on his bed, kicking off his shoes lazily. Michael closes his eyes, and for a selfish moment he allows himself to think about the way Ryan leaned towards him in the cargobob, the look in his eyes that made Michael feel as if he was laid bare before Ryan. Michael sighs softly, full of wanting and disappointment because Ryan isn’t one to mix his professional and personal life. If he has a personal life. Michael can’t remember a time when Ryan wasn’t working on something related to an upcoming job or heist.

Michael picks himself up off of the bed and pulls his shirt off, tossing it onto the toilet as he walks into the en suite bathroom. his side is riddled with bruises from swinging fists and throwing himself from one too many buildings before they blew, and Michael’s muscles cramp painfully. Overall Michael came out pretty much unscathed, his headache worsening when he furrows his eyebrows at his reflection. Michael hears a soft knock on his door and he pokes his head out of the bathroom, looking towards the door.

“What?”

“It’s locked.” a gruff voice says, Michael frowning and going to unlock the door, throwing it open.

“No duh it’s locked.” Ryan’s hair is loose from its ponytail, face a mess of red, white and black that creates a macabre scene on Ryan’s skin. “Didn’t laugh at me enough on the helicopter?”

Ryan tilts his head, eyes unreadable. “Why would I laugh?”

“Everyone else was.” Michael grumbles, waving Ryan in and closing the door behind him. Michael frowns when he sees blood staining Ryan’s blond hair. Michael points to the bathroom, raising his eyebrows when Ryan doesn’t move, standing stubbornly while they lock eyes. Michael doesn’t move, breath sticking in his throat when Ryan’s eyes narrow, and slowly Ryan turns and walks to the bathroom, his back to Michael. Michael lets his breath out in a rush before following, crouching to get the first aid kit even though his body protests. “Sit on the edge of the tub and take your jacket off.”

Michael hears the shuffle of fabric and the heavy plop of leather dropping onto the toilet cover with Michael’s t-shirt. Michael stands back up with a groan and sets the kit on the counter, leaving it momentarily as he grabs a washcloth and wets it with warm water. Michael turns back to Ryan, going through the motions of methodically cleaning the face paint from Ryan’s skin. With each swipe of the washcloth Michael can feel the flutters in his stomach building, and he almost wants to throw up with how much his stomach is flipping at the thought of seeing Ryan without his face paint. Michael has seen him without face paint once or twice before, but it was always a fleeting glimpse of surprisingly tanned skin. Michael keeps his breath steady as he wipes away the last of the mess away, taking a moment to  look at the arch of Ryan’s nose and the shape of his lips. Michael shakes himself, reminding himself not to stare too much as he turns and digs around in the first aid kit for the alcohol and a cotton swab. Ryan doesn’t flinch while Michael dabs at the cut right at his hairline.

“I wasn’t laughing.” Michael falters when he looks from his determined dabbing at the cut, applying pressure to get it to stop bleeding. Ryan is watching him, expression cool even though his eyebrow twitches when Michael presses. “You had a point.”

“Did I? No one else seemed to notice.” Michael mutters, keeping the cut closed with a butterfly band-aid. Michael busies himself with cleaning up the first aid kit and stowing it away.

“Everyone in the crew has a nickname. I didn’t.”

“And you, mister scary mercenary, wanted one?” Michael jokes, expecting the joke to fall flat like most do when Ryan is around, but he’s pleasantly surprised when Ryan laughs softly. “Didn’t know you could laugh.” Michael halfheartedly teases.

“You’re funny.” Michael snorts and smiles, tossing Ryan’s jacket back to him.

“Course I am. Someone on this team’s gotta have charm.” Ryan pulls his jacket on with a quiet chuckle, standing up and looking at Michael seriously.

“You’re hurt.” Michael shrugs and wanders out of the bathroom, Ryan following.

“It’s just bruising. I think I got off better than anyone.”

“Nothing broken?” Michael shakes his head, jumping when fingers gently take his arm and lift it, Michael wincing with the movement. “Hard to breathe?”

“No, Ryan I told you I’m fine- quit that!” Michael snaps when Ryan presses a bit too hard into a bruise, pulling himself away from Ryan’s hands. “You don’t need to prod at me. Go do whatever it is you do while everyone else sleeps.”

Michael shoos Ryan towards the door, Ryan taking his time in leaving the room. Ryan pauses in the doorway, looking back at Michael. “I sleep.” With that Ryan slips out of the room, leaving Michael breathless and feeling like he has some coveted secret to keep. Michael closes his door and locks it again before going to take a shower, gently scrubbing at his side while phantom fingers grip his arm gently, as if he was a spooked animal. Michael didn’t know that Ryan could be that gentle with anyone or anything. Michael is only half dressed when he hears someone else banging on his door and he curses under his breath, pulling a shirt on and hurrying to pull the door open.

“What?” Michael near snarls, wanting to sleep or maybe drink himself into a stupor at the rate that people keep bugging him.

“C’mon Michael, don’t tell me you forgot about our bj date!” Ray gasps, pressing a hand to his heart as he fakes sadness. “I thought they were the highlight of your week.”

Michael rolls his eyes, fond smile on his face as he steps out of his room and closes the door behind him. “Figured you’d give me a night to myself before dragging me out.”

Ray slings an arm around Michael’s neck, laughing. “When have I ever done that?”

“Point taken.” Michael doesn’t see the way Ryan watches them leave, Ray winking at Ryan and smacking Michael butt. Michael shoots Ray a look that makes Ray grin and ruffle Michael’s still wet hair, Michael grabbing his keys and pulling his leather jacket on. “We’re going out Geoff, don’t wait up!”

“Have fun. Ray, have him back in one piece, you hear me, you savage?” Ray laughs, shooting Geoff a thumbs up.

“Got it boss!”

They duck out the door, Michael laughing at something that Ray said while Ryan leaves to his own room. Michael leans against one side of the elevator, Ray tucked in the corner. “You and Jack a thing yet?” Michael asks, raising an eyebrow when Ray purses his lips and scowls. “I’m guessing that’s a no?”

“Do you think he actually knows I’m flirting with him?”

“Well seeing as you still call our nights out on the town blowjob dates, I’m guessing he probably thinks we’re a thing and that you’re just joking.”

“That _might_ be a problem.” Ray grouses, Michael laughing and shaking his head as he climbs into his Adder. Ray slips into the passenger seat, buckling up while Michael peels out of the garage. “How do I show him I’m not actually boning you and that we just disappear to play pokemon and smoke weed?”

“You could just _tell_ him, y’know.” Michael points out while they rocket through the streets, no real destination in mind.

“Yeah but where’s the fun in that?” Ray jokes sitting low in the seat as Michael parks in front of one of his own safehouses, a crappy looking house near redneck territory. “Where are we?”

“One of my places.” Michael turns the car off and gets out, Ray getting out a whole lot faster as he shoots over to the door, standing on the worn cement porch. Michael strolls up and unlocks the door, letting Ray check out every inch of the place in case someone broke in or had been squatting here. Ray comes out of the bedroom to see Michael lounging around on the couch, 3DS in one hand, joint in the other. “No one would think to break into a shit place like this. C’mon, I wanna kick your ass with my charmander.”

Ray plops down on the couch close to Michael, taking the joint when it’s offered and pulling a slow drag from it. Ray blows the smoke out his nose while he boots up his own 3DS. “You know I’m going to win.” Ray mutters, wearing a shiteating grin while Michael rolls his eyes and takes the joint back.

“I don’t think so.” They play pokemon for a few hours, passing joints back and forth while they yell at their pokemon and try to one up each other. Somehow Ray ends up laying across Michael’s lap, taking one last drag from the nubby end of a joint before pressing it into the ashtray on the coffee table next to a tub of petroleum jelly. Ray smiles in triumph when the little sliver of red drops and Michael’s final pokemon faints, Michael crying out in outrage before snapping his 3DS shut and tossing it on the couch next to him. “Fuck you and your pokemon.”

Ray giggles and closes his own 3DS, placing it on the coffee table instead of throwing it on the couch. “Hey Michael, I gotta ask you something.”

“What?”

“How come you don’t say anything to Ryan? He’d so bone you.”

Michael snorts humorlessly, leaning his head back and closing his eyes. “He doesn’t mix his job with personal affairs. You know that.”

“Yeah but.. You’re not his job.”

“I’m part of it.” Michael grumbles, Ray letting out a long sigh.

“I say you should just go for it, dude. No harm in trying, right?”

Michael’s head swims with the weed that hangs heavy in the air and the thought that maybe something could happen between the two of them. Michael really doesn’t want to hope, but it sits in his heart anyways, and a smile comes to Michael’s face. “Right.”

~*~

Michael and Ray stumble back into the apartment the next morning, disheveled and reeking of weed like they usually are after one of their blowjob dates. Gavin is on the couch with Geoff, building something stupid in Minecraft that is no doubt more complicated than it needs to be. Gavin looks up, smirking as he waves to Michael and Ray.

“Hey boi! Hey X-Ray! Have fun?”

“Yeah!” Ray says, still giggling because of the joint he lit up right before they left. Michael stayed sober enough to drive, and he drops Ray’s arm from around his shoulders as he dumps him on the loveseat in the living room. “Where’s Jack? I gotta talk to ‘im..” Ray slurs, Geoff raising an eyebrow.

“Just how high did you get him?”

“He smoked right before we left. He’ll be up high for like an hour or two still.”

“Ray?” Jack pokes his head around the corner, looking into the living room with a concerned expression. Ray smiles goofily when he sees Jack, waving until Jack spots him and hurries over. “Jesus Ray, lets get you something to eat and water.”

“Jack I wanna tell you somethin..” Ray says in a stage whisper, Jack keeping an arm around Ray’s waist while he basically carries Ray towards the kitchen.

Michael clears his throat to get Jack’s attention and shakes his head, nodding towards the bedrooms. Jack frowns in suspicion but heads that way regardless, Ray giggling breathlessly. Michael plops down on the loveseat previously occupied by Ray, letting himself relax for the first time since the day before the heist. Michael hasn’t slept a minute in over 24 hours and he can feel sleep anchoring him to the cushion, and he can’t help but nod off, head lolling against the back of the loveseat. Michael is out like a light, face serene as his whole body goes slack, relaxed in a way Gavin hasn’t seen since before they joined the crew together. Gavin leans against Geoff’s side, legs in Geoff’s lap in a way that makes it so Gavin is curled almost unnaturally around Geoff. Geoff doesn’t ask whether it’s comfortable because if it wasn’t Gavin would be squirming and basically climbing into Geoff’s lap to get comfortable.

“Hey Geoff, what do you suppose Ray had to tell him?”

“Probably the fact that he has a raging boner for Jack.” Geoff mutters, focused on his work onscreen while Gavin gapes, game momentarily forgotten.

“Wot?” Gavin whispers fiercely, trying not to wake Michael up. Geoff doesn’t respond, totally immersed, and Gavin whines, shoving at Geoff’s shoulder until Geoff looks from the screen. “How do you know that? Aren’t Michael and Ray a thing?”

“Nah dude, they don’t even blow each other when they go out. They either mess shit up or go camp out somewhere smoking pot.”

Gavin makes a small noise of surprise, looking back at the giant sheep they’re busy building. “I thought- huh. Did they do that on purpose?”

“Do what?”

“Make it seem like they were dating.” Geoff shrugs, turning and kissing Gavin firmly when Gavin starts to ask another question.

“It’s not our business, Gav. Now shut up and help me make this sheeps anus.”

Gavin steals another kiss before he settles down again, working on the redstone that will make it so that the sheeps anus will open and close with the flip of a switch. Gavin hears Michael snore lightly and he can’t help but giggle at the way Michael’s nose twitches when there’s so much as a small noise. But regardless of how Michael reacts to noises, he’s sleeping deeply, unhindered by whatever makes him an early riser naturally and an insomniac on the worst nights. Gavin hears someone walking down the hall and he turns his head, pressing his finger to his lips and glaring the best he can, relaxing when it’s only Ryan. Ryan never makes much noise, so Gavin turns back to his game and ignores what Ryan is doing. Ryan grabs a can of coke from the kitchen before coming back out into the living room, sitting himself on the loveseat next to Michael. He’s silently watching what Geoff and Gavin are doing, snorting when Gavin lays down a line of redstone wrong. Gavin winces at the carbonated hiss that comes from the can as Ryan cracks it open, taking a sip, unphased even though Michael twitches and grumbles in his sleep. Ryan slings an arm across the back of the loveseat, completely at ease even when Gavin shoots him a disapproving look. Ryan raises an eyebrow at Gavin, intentionally making an exaggerated slurping noise that makes even Geoff wince. Michael peeks an eye open, lip curled in irritation as he looks towards Ryan. Gavin holds his breath, waiting for Michael to explode and tear Ryan a new one, and he fears he could pass out from not breathing.

“Asshole.” Michael groans, kicking his shoes off before scooting over, sidling up to Ryan and falling back asleep quickly. Ryan drapes his arm over Michael’s back, looking smug as Gavin gapes. Ryan goes back to drinking his pop, much less obnoxiously now that Michael is asleep against his side and not starfished on the other cushion. Gavin gets up and leaves the room, and Geoff can hear muffled squawks of outrage from the other room. Geoff sighs and saves their progress before shutting the xbox and tv down, shaking his head at Ryan.

“You’re playing with fire, dude.”

~*~

Michael hears someone elses heartbeat in his ears when he wakes up, and he briefly thinks that maybe Ray had stumbled out in his high stupor and had laid with Michael. Michael yawns, rubbing at his left eye as he stretches, whining as his muscles warm up again. Michael jolts when he sees long hair and a black t-shirt, Michael nearly falling off of the loveseat. Ryan is asleep tucked against the back of the couch, head resting on the arm of the couch and pillows that Michael was obviously using spread in the crook of Ryan’s arm. Michael must’ve been laying practically on top of Ryan to hear Ryan’s heartbeat, and his cheeks flush when he sees Ryan’s eyes cracked open, clouded over with sleep. Ryan raises an eyebrow, small amused smile on his face, and he closes his eyes again, moving his arm from where it was secure over Michael’s waist as an offering to let Michael leave. Michael looks around the room only to find the room dark and unoccupied, the lights of the city twinkling merrily. Michael hesitates for a moment, biting his lip before he gently shakes Ryan’s shoulder.

“Ryan.” No answer. “Rye.” Still nothing. “Rye-bread.” Michael whispers, jumping when Ryan glares at him.

“ _What_?” Ryan hisses, eyes bright and a lot more alert than before.

“Put your arm back around me.” Ryan huffs a short laugh, slinging his arm back around Michael and pulling Michael closer. Michael lays his head back on the pillows, forehead pressing against Ryan’s chest as he curls up. Michael listens to the sirens wailing outside and Ryan’s breathing as it evens out again, and Michael is surprised that Ryan can fall asleep so easily. He always seemed so on edge, just waiting for something to happen so that he’d be ready to respond at the second it happens. Michael can still smell weed hanging on his clothes and he probably should’ve showered before he fell asleep at all, but there’s not much he can do about it now. Michael debates falling back asleep, and he eventually just gives up on the thought of staying awake and sneaking from under Ryan’s arm. Michael falls back asleep with the thought that there is no way he’s going to be able to explain this to the guys without making Ryan extremely uncomfortable tomorrow morning.

Michael wakes up cold and faintly disappointed, sprawled across the loveseat with one leg hanging off the side and the other thrown up over the back of the couch. Michael collects himself and sits up, groaning and twisting as his back pops. “Never made it to bed last night boi?”

“This was my bed last night.” Gavin grins cheekily, and that’s when Michael notices it’s just the two of them in the living room. “Where is everyone?”

“Jack and Ray went out, Geoff is still asleep, and I haven’t seen Ryan since you cuddled up to him last night.”

Michael covers his face with his hands, willing his heart to stop beating so fast in his chest. “Like you don’t cuddle up to Geoff all the time.”

“Well yeah, you donut, we’re dating. You and Ryan aren’t. Unless..” Gavin’s eyes widen and he suddenly looks both flabbergasted and delighted. “You two are dating?!”

“What? No! No we’re not dating. He doesn’t mix his personal and work life.”

“You keep saying that, but if you haven’t noticed, he doesn’t _have_ a personal life.”

“Dude, everyone has a personal life.” Michael objects, pressing the heel of his palm into his forehead. “Just leave it alone. Ray said the same thing when we hung out, but you guys don’t get it.”

“Micoo, you always say the same thing to us.”

“Because it’s true!” Michael throws his hands up, standing up and pacing from the couch to the window agitatedly. “ _We_ are considered work. No one knows where he’s from, how the hell he got to this city, and the only thing we know is his name and the fact that he likes to kill people. If any of us weren’t considered part of his work, don’t you think he’d tell us something?” Michael rubs his forehead again, anger simmering in his stomach and tears in his eyes. “Don’t you think he would open up, at least once?” Michael says quietly, and Gavin isn’t sure whether it’s rhetorical or something Michael is genuinely wondering.

“Micoo..” Michael turns away from Gavin, and Gavin sees him dash away a couple of tears angrily.

“It doesn’t matter.” Michael shrugs, but Gavin can see the way Michael’s shoulders are shaking still. “If that’s the way he wants it, fine.”

“You could always talk to him, y’know.” Michael immediately shakes his head, and Gavin huffs in annoyance. “That’s how you solve a problem, innit?”

“I thought you solved problems with alcohol or extreme violence.” Michael leers, shoulders tensing up when Gavin places a hand on his back and peeks at his face. Michael turns his face away, hiding his teary eyes and red nose, but Gavin isn’t to be swayed. Gavin leans his head against Michael’s shoulder and points out the window at some random person.

“What do you think they would do if we ran up to them and told them they had a day to live?”

Michael frowns, looking at where Gavin is pointing. “Go do something crazy? Like rob a bank?” Michael has a small, rueful smile on his face, and Gavin pats his back.

“He’d take all the chances in the world. You already take enough living this kind of life, what’s one bloody more?” Michael is silent for a few moments, and then he laughs, soft and painfully hopeful.

“Yeah, what’s one more.”

~*~

Michael never talks to Ryan. he wants to, figures he might as well after what Gavin pointed out, but the masked man is surprisingly absent from the apartment for once. Michael tries not to take it personally. Michael is sitting on the couch when Geoff walks in, clapping his hands and rubbing them together, looking majorly disheveled and not the Gavin-got-ahold-of-him disheveled. Like I-just-planned-our-next-heist disheveled. Michael is interested immediately.

“Sup?”

“Come to the planning room, the next heist is ready.”  

Michael grins. “Now that’s what I like to hear.” Michael hops up from his spot on the couch and heads to the planning room, immediately taking his normal seat in the middle. Ray comes shuffling in, taking his spot to Michael’s left. Gavin joins them and sits on Michael’s right. Jack sits on the chair at the left end of the table, close enough that Michael can see Jack and Ray holding hands under the table like two teenagers. Michael may or may not have snickered at that, waggling his eyebrows at the bearded gent whose face goes red. Michael quiets down when a hand lands on his shoulder, squeezing lightly, as if in warning. Michael tries not to lean into the touch, ignoring the feeling of Ryan silently standing behind him.

Geoff comes sauntering into the room last, grinning cockily. “Alright boys, it’s heist time. Real simple..” Geoff launches into a whole speech about planning and setup, and Michael tunes in long enough to hear that all he has to do is run into the place with Gavin, grab the stuff, and then leave in separate vehicles. “Okay, codenames.”

“We don’t even use them anyways, lets just call each other pet names for fucks sake.” Michael grumbles, Geoff staring at him a moment before bursting out laughing.

“Okay sweetie pie, go get your ass ready for the heist.” Michael gets up without another word, shrugging off Ryan’s hand and leaving the room with a wide grin. Michael hears everyone else leaving, probably to go set up vehicles, but all Michael has to do is shoot up the place, so he goes through making sure all his guns are loaded. Pistol, SMG, plenty of sticky grenades. Michael pulls on his trusty leather jacket, wolf printed across the back, and grabs a pair of shades. Michael whistles on his way out of his room, meeting up with Gavin at the door and leaving the apartment to go find the other guys.

“You ready for this Gavvers?” Michael puts his earpiece in, Gavin doing the same as they climb into the car that pulls up, Geoff smiling behind the wheel.

“You know it boi! Where’s Ryan and Ray?”

“Ray’s on his roof already, and Ryan is scoping the block out. Keep your earpieces in, and remember where you’re going.”

“Yeah yeah, we know, now lets go!” Michael says eagerly, practically bouncing in his seat while they drive through the streets. Jack is laughing already, but he turns serious once the first store is in view. Gavin and Michael clamber out of the car and salute the two older men before they speed off, guns hidden as they go and start perusing the store. Michael’s earpiece crackles and then Geoff’s voice is in his ear.

“Alright boys, we’re at the location. Heist begins in 3..” Michael glances up towards the cashier. “2..” He walks forward slowly, grabbing a candy bar off of the shelf. “1! Heist time!” Gavin lifts his gun at the cashier, Michael focusing on the man in the back that goes for the shotgun. Michael shoots him without hesitance.

“Lets go, I don’t have all day!” Gavin shouts, the man in a near panicked state as he throws cash into a duffle bag that Gavin shoved towards him. The man tosses the bag over the counter and Michael puts a bullet through his head, Gavin grabbing the bag as they bolt out the doors. It’s chaos outside; there are police cars everywhere, and Michael can see police dropping as Ray takes them out from above. Ryan is throwing grenade after grenade, and the sight sends a thrill down Michael’s spine.

“Hey Rye-bread!” Michael waves to get Ryan’s attention, Ryan’s head snapping towards Michael. Michael blows him a kiss before he disappears down the alleyway towards the getaway vehicle, and he hears Ryan’s soft curse through the earpiece. Michael grins wickedly to himself and goes to jump into a bifta conveniently left in the alley, all according to the plan. What isn’t in the plan is a cop coming from the shadows, and before Michael can react, the butt of a gun is smashing into his cheek; Michael's cheek burns as blood drips down his face. Michael gasps, staggering back and bringing his gun up. Michael fires before the cop can, and he shakes his head to try and clear the fuzziness from the hit. Michael basically falls into the bifta, shakily buckling himself in. Ray hops into the seat next to him and Michael peels out, taking off down the streets and towards Los Santos county, police hot on his tail. Ray takes them out easily enough, and Michael passes a couple of stickies to him, laughing when he feels the heat of the explosion and sees flames in his peripheral. Michael head is still spinning, but when Ray asks him if he's okay, he nods.

“Hey honey buns, you gonna take us to the spot or what?” Michael floors it, Ray nearly bouncing out of the seat when they fly off of a hill towards Mount Chiliad. Ray scrambles to buckle up, clipping himself in just in time for them to land, Michael straightening them out before the race to the top of Mount Chiliad continues.

“Sound off, who got out?” Geoff's voice cuts through the static of Michael's earpiece, and Michael groans.

"Ray and I are heading up Chiliad to get the cops off our backs, we'll meet you at the apartment."

"Ryan quit shoving me! Ry-" there's an exasperated sigh on Gavin's end, and Michael smirks.

"You okay over there Gav? Is Rye-bread giving you a hard time?" There's a squawk that makes both Michael and Ray wince, and then Ryan's voice is in Michael's ear.

"We're in the tunnels under the city, on our way back. Signing off." Michael watches as Ray takes his earpiece out, and he goes to take his out as well when Ryan interrupts him. "I know, Michael."

Michael's heart jumps in his throat, and he pulls in a sharp breath. "Mogar signing off."

Michael yanks the earpiece out, grip hard on the steering wheel as they roar onto the top of Chiliad, the cops long gone. Ray is smirking at Michael as they jerk to a stop, Michael sitting quietly for a few minutes. "He start talking dirty?"

"What?"

"Was he about to start having phonesex with you during a heist?"

"No!" Michael snaps, cheeks dyed red as embarrassment flushes through him. "He didn't say anything."

"Mhmm. Michael and Ryan sitting in a tree, K I S S I N G." Ray teases, Michael glaring with enough venom to momentarily shock Ray into silence.

"Shut the fuck up." Michael snarls, Ray tossing his hands up uncertainly. "You and Gavin are really starting to piss me off. Just because your relationships are easy and mutual, doesn't mean whatever is between Ryan and I is the same."

"I didn't mean to-"

"You never _mean_ to bring it up every time we're hanging out?" Michael gripes, taking off back down the path as Ray fishes for the right thing to say. "Don't try and make some excuse, Ray. I asked you plenty of times about Jack. You're only doing the same thing."

"Yeah but I asked for your advice. I'm sorry, Michael. I didn't know it bothered you that much." They lapse into an uneasy silence, but then Michael reaches over and ruffles Ray's hair, and they both relax. Michael takes back streets to get into town, and they ditch the car a couple blocks away. Ray shoves Michael playfully and Michael shoves him back, laughing as they duck into the door of the building and make a beeline for the elevator. They punch in the code that takes them to the apartment without stopping and relax, the pain in Michael's face flaring up with a vengeance. Ray moves faster than Michael does, and he dashes into the apartment and Jack's waiting arms, the two hugging tight enough to make their breathing stop.

Michael chuckles and shakes his head, stepping out of the elevator slower than Ray does. The elevator closes behind him as he watches the way Jack cups Ray’s cheeks, whispers to him and makes sure that Ray is okay. Ray looks like a lovestruck idiot, and it makes Michael want to cry to see Ray so obviously happy. Michael bites his lip, smiling when Jack takes a step back, remembering that they aren’t really alone yet. “Did you have any trouble getting back?” Ray asks, Jack shaking his head.

“No, the cops were focused on Ryan and Gavin. They should be back soon.”

“Do you wanna watch a movie until they get back?” Ray suggests, looking at Michael. Michael shrugs and heads to the couch, plopping down and kicking his feet up on the coffee table. “Hey Jack, can you take a look at Michael’s cheek?”

“On it already.” Jack comes in with a first aid kit and has Michael sit forward, clenching his fists while Jack dabs at the cut with peroxide. Jack frowns when he sees just how bad it is, and he purses his lips. “What happened? They really got you good, I need to close this with stitches.”

“Cop hit me with the butt of his gun.” Michael murmurs, staying still while Jack stitches the cut closed. Jack puts ointment on it and then tapes gauze over it, but Michael doesn’t listen to his warnings of sleeping on his other side. Michael already knows the drill with stitches, they all do. Jack keeps the first aid kit out for when the others get back, and settles with Ray, focusing on what Michael thinks is that one movie with the kid. Insidious? Michael should look at the case. They’re halfway through the movie when Geoff slinks from his room, the elevator dinging open right on time. Gavin races out, jumping into Geoff’s arms and kissing him, Geoff catching him easily enough. Michael looks up from his spot on the couch, smiling softly at Gavin and Geoff talking quietly, much the same way that Ray and Jack were. He goes back to watching the movie, heart thudding in his ears when he hears a sharp inhale and then the sound of heavy footsteps.

Michael looks up when someone blocks his view of the tv, Michael’s eyes widening when he sees how disheveled Ryan is. Ryan’s hair hangs loose around his head, and his eyes are wide, crazed. “Michael.”

“What’s up, Rye-bread?” Michael raises an eyebrow, but he nearly yells in alarm when Ryan’s hands snaps out and grabs his collar, hauling him up. Michael goes to put his hands up, trembling, whether it’s because of fear or something else, Michael doesn’t know. Ryan’s gaze is hot, accusatory, and Michael thinks that Ryan is mad at him, but then Ryan lurches forward, squeezing his eyes shut and pressing his lips to Michael’s. Michael tenses, body burning with Ryan's lips on his and everyone in the room staring at them. Michael kisses back hesitantly, and that's the only thing that keeps Ryan from moving away and disappearing into his own room. Michael's sense of smell is assaulted by the stench of gunpowder and metal that lingers on Ryan's hands when he cups Michael's cheeks; Michael definitely won't admit his knees go a little weak when Ryan traces the seam of Michael's lips until Michael parts his lips and goes up on his tiptoes. Michael fingers slip under Ryan's jacket, curl into the dark material over Ryan's side to anchor himself. Michael blinks when he hears a wolf whistle, and he stares at Ryan in a daze before a grin spreads across his face. “Finally.” Michael breathes, squirming under Ryan’s gaze.

Ryan raises an eyebrow, but a smile tugs at his lips. “The mic doesn't turn off when you take your earpiece out, Michael.”

“You said you were signing off!” Michael protests, frowning at Ryan while Ryan tries to seem apologetic.

“I know. I was going to after you signed off,” Ryan shrugs, and this time he does seem a little bit apologetic. “But I was curious.”

“So you decided to snoop?” Michael can’t stop himself from smiling when Ryan’s fingers slide into his hair, cupping the base of his skull.

Ryan’s smile grows into a satisfied smirk, and he steps forward as Michael tugs on his t-shirt. “I got tired of playing our game.”

“You cheated.” Michael teases, Ryan laughing softly. Michael feels the world drop from around him; all he can feel is the way Ryan’s lips feel pressed against his and the warmth of Ryan’s body. “Took you long enough.” Michael mutters, jumping and giggling when Ryan grabs his butt and bites Michael’s lower lip.

 


End file.
